At 28, many may believe that Robin Uthappa’s best days are well behind him. Uthappa differs; he strongly believes that he is just a few good knocks away from making it back to the Indian team. The swashbuckling batsman played his 38th one-day international in July 2008. A comeback six years on would beggar belief, but then, Uthappa’s conviction is unwavering.

While the thought of making it back to the pinnacle of cricket is constantly on Uthappa’s mind, he has for the time being put those thoughts on the backburner to focus on an equally worthy goal. Leaner and fitter, Uthappa is focused on ensuring Karnataka returns home with the Ranji Trophy. They take on Maharashtra in the final starting in Hyderabad on Wednesday.

In the 2009-10 season, an Uthappa-led side slumped to a heartbreaking six-run defeat against Mumbai and since then, Karnataka hasn’t come close to winning the Trophy, until now. Uthappa is convinced his team is ready for coronation.

“I’m looking forward to the final and it is going to be exciting,” Uthappa said. “A lot of us believe we are going to win this tournament. It is a huge belief that is going around in the team, simply because we are having so much of fun together. I can’t think of a guy who hasn’t performed when given the opportunity this season. The players are literally having dreams that we are going to win this tournament. That happens when it’s a happy group without any inhibitions. And that’s the unit we have today.”

The players, Uthappa said, are determined to get it right this time. “That defeat in the final still pinches,” he admitted. “In the last four years, what has happened is that we have progressed to the knockout stages and then one department fails to fire. That batch has stuck together and has gone through the rigour. When I look back I think the past years was a process when everybody went through their ups and downs and its culminated beautifully at this stage.”

source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Sports> Cricket> DC / by Manju Veerappa / January 28th, 2014